The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-07-28


paper and pin it on your colors and
turn them in to the adjutant Of
your regiment. which did.
did not hear anything more
about it till in the following winter.
when in Campbell Hospital, suffering
from wound received at the
battle of Boynton plank road,
on the left of Petersburg. re-
ceived package. Upon opening it.
found tito be medal Of HONOR
Serg. Fassnacht Of the goth Pennsyl-
vania volunteers also captured 4 flag at
Spottsylvania. This flag had been waved
defantly from the confederate works.
right in the face Of the assaulting
column.
..From the time that / first saw that
rebel flag waving SO defiantly in our
faces he says. ..my sole object was to
get it, and to that end all my energies
were brought in play. So after was
inside of the works. took in the situa-
ton in a moment. Knowing the di-
rcction of our line of battle toward the
left, and the open gap on our right. |
concluded that the rebel color bearer
would try to escape BY running up to-
ward the right and cutting through the
woods. started on the run.
diagonally through the woods, in
tending to head of the color
bearer. The distance / had to 20
would be shorter than his. and, as one
could see but very short distance
through smoke. fog and woods. | lost
sight of the flag for few minutes. But
had run probably $50 yards over all
kinds of Instructions. when my calcutta
tons proved correct; for suddenly right
in front Of me. through clump Of
trees came this same color bearer.
CARRYING ALOFT HIS FLAG,
And behind him were five or six sol
diers. his color guard. l brought my
musket to my shoulder, with hand on
trigger. and, as he did not see me as soon
as saw him, he ran up almost against
my bayonet before he stopped. True.
my musket was empty at this time, but
the muzzle of an empty gun at such
close quarters looks almost as danger
Gus as loaded one. and he did not
know but that ii was loaded. The men
behind him might have shot me down.
but for some reason did not.
$50, when we met, ut that instant
demanded his surrender and the flag:
he asked me not to shoot. and reached
the flag toward me. / did not lower
my musket. but let the flag fall at my
feet. and told him to 60 to my rear.
which he did with his companions. who
dropped their arms. 1t was the flag of
the ID Louisiana Tigers"
Lieut.. Elliott NJ. Norton, 9th Michi-
gan volunteer cavalry. took flag ut
Sailors Greek almost in the last gasp of
the War.
Il was riding" he SAYS. lat the
head of the regiment with the colonel.
when, seeing squad Of the enemy.
about 20 in number, went for them in
order to capture their flag. When l
was within six or eight rods of the
party they fired together at me, leaving
their carbines empty and me unframed.
With drawn sabre l rushed upon them
and ordered them to throw down their
arms. which they did. They did not
so quickly give up the flag. But sup
pose they saw
TWAS BOUND TO HAVE 1T,
And as some of our troops were now
ahead of these confederateS. they sui
lenly resigned the flag to my care.
Tearing it from the staff and thrustingit
inside my coat. | told my prisoners to
fall into line. and started for the rear.
ut was after o'clock that evening
when l overlook the command, then
going into camp. kept my secret un-
til evening, when as we (the colonel
and occupied the same tent) were
about turning in, told Colonel Vinton
that if he would promise not to say any
thing | would show him some-
thing. He agreed, and then | pulled
OF. my trophy. The old war dog fair
" danced with delight. Ny flag be-
longed to the 44th Tennessee regiment.
At this battle of Sailors Greek cap
lures of flags We're many. A partici-
pant in the battle says:
Colors were captured all along
the line. It's easy enough. All
one has to do is to be there
and go in with the crowd, and be
careful not to let too many get ahead of
him, else the first choice of flags is lost.
There are some risks, however. If the
fellow who carries the flag is obstinate
and don't want to give it up, you can
hand him your card, or use any other
indictment which may occur 10 you 1T
the time" GUsTAyE kobe.